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Creative Computing graduate wins funding to develop student ridesharing app Hitchley

Thursday, 23 April, 2026

A Bath Spa University graduate has received funding to support the development of a new ridesharing platform designed specifically for students. Ethan Hunt, who studied Creative Computing and graduated in 2025, recently secured the Explore It funding to further develop his app, Hitchley, ahead of planned testing with Bath Spa students. 

The idea for Hitchley originated during Ethan’s third-year dissertation, where he worked as part of a group project under the theme of “tech for good”. The concept focused on creating a solution that could improve student travel while supporting sustainability goals. 

Explaining the idea, Ethan said: 

“Hitchley is a closed network student ridesharing app… to help students get to and from university whilst increasing car occupancy and lowering emissions and congestion on student campuses.” 

The platform aims to address common challenges students face with public transport, including cost, reliability and long wait times. By connecting student drivers with passengers travelling in the same direction, Hitchley offers a more convenient, door-to-door alternative. 

Ethan explained:

“The clear one is public transport, the unreliability, wait times and even the price. So Hitchley aims to be cheaper, faster and more ‘from your door’.  

Hitchley includes two different features for arranging journeys. Students can either schedule rides in advance, like booking a train ticket, or use a live driver option for last-minute journeys, allowing them to find available drivers heading to campus in real time. 

Unlike other ridesharing platforms, Hitchley is designed as a closed network for university communities, meaning only verified students can use the service. This approach aims to improve safety while also helping universities reduce congestion and emissions on campus. 

Ethan recently received £500 through the Explore It funding scheme, which will support student testing sessions. Participants will be invited to trial the app and provide feedback to help refine the platform before launch. 

“The funding goes straight into students, essentially for trial runs. Students can sign up for test sessions, and they’ll be awarded a £10 gift card… these test sessions only last for around an hour.” 

The testing phase will allow Ethan to gather real-world feedback on usability, design, and functionality, helping to identify improvements before the app is released more widely. He hopes to launch Hitchley in September, following the focus group sessions.

Ethan has also been working with Bath Spa University’s Sustainability Manager, Ripley Hill-Nixon, to explore how the platform could support the University’s environmental goals. By increasing car occupancy, Hitchley aims to reduce the number of vehicles travelling to campus and lower overall emissions. 

Ethan continued:

“When it comes to benefiting the sustainability of BSU, hopefully we will see a lot less cars on campus, which will result in less emissions. People who aren’t even going to use the app will benefit… such as lecturers who are looking for a car parking space in the morning.” 

The upcoming focus groups will be open to Bath Spa students, who will have the opportunity to test the app and contribute to its development. Ethan hopes the sessions will provide valuable insights ahead of launch and give students a chance to experience what it’s like to be involved in developing a startup. 

Reflecting on his journey, Ethan also encouraged students interested in entrepreneurship to make use of the support available at Bath Spa and to take small steps towards developing their ideas. 

As Hitchley moves into its next stage of development, Ethan hopes the project will not only improve student travel but also inspire others to explore their own ideas. With student feedback shaping the final version, the platform aims to become a collaborative, student-led solution for the Bath Spa community.